Petrified Forest

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Transcript of Petrified Forest

Petrified Forest by Jessica JosephWhere is the petrified forest located? Petrified Forest National Park is a United States national park in Navajo and Apache counties in northeastern Arizona. Named for its large deposits of petrified wood.Activities The park is open every day except Christmas (December 25) on a schedule that varies slightly with the seasons. No campgrounds or overnight lodging are available in the park, although nearby communities such as Holbrook offer motels and other accommodations. Sunlight dances across a panel of petroglyphs during summer solstice.When did the forest become a national parkThe site, the northern part of which extends into the Painted Desert, was declared a national monument in 1906 and a national park in 1962. What is the forest known for? The Petrified Forest is known for its fossils, especially fallen trees that lived in the Late Triassic Period, about 225 million years ago. The sediments containing the fossil logs are part of the widespread and colorful Chinle Formation, from which the Painted Desert gets its name. ContinuedOvernight parking is not allowed except in the case of backpackers with wilderness hiking permits. Sightseeing is available by private automobile, motorcycle, commercial tour, bicycle, and hiking. The park road, parking lots, and turn-outs are big enough to accommodate large recreational vehicles. Agate House is a small pueblo build from chunks of petrified over 900 years ago.Wild life in the Petrified ForestAnimal life at Petrified Forest includes amphibians, birds, insects, spiders, mammals, and reptiles. Birds, lizards and rabbits are seen most frequently, though seasons and weather play a large role in determining what animals are active.Collared LizardAmerican PronghornHorned LarkPallid BatGeology of Petrified Forest Chinle Formation

The Chinle Formation was deposited over 200 million years ago during the Late Triassic Period. The colorful badland hills, flat-topped mesas, and sculptured buttes of the Painted Desert are primarily made up of the Chinle Formation, mainly fluvial (river related) deposits. Within Petrified Forest National Park, the Chinle Formation is further divided to include the Blue Mesa Member, the Sonsela Member, the Petrified Forest Member, and the Owl Rock Member.